1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to walking supports, such as crutches, canes, and the like, and more particularly to a base for canes and crutches, the base having improved surface gripping characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous designs exist for crutches, canes, and walking sticks to provide comfort while supporting a user on a variety of surfaces. Examples of such designs include the following issued patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 960,700 issued to Pratt teaches a crutch tip that includes apexes and depressions to provide a surface that is less prone to slipping. However, in Pratt the surface is taught as being convex, which may actually enhance slipping on certain surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,883 issued to Youngren discloses a crutch tip that includes an inflatable bulb having a roughened surface 13. This reference also teaches a convex surface that in this case can be adjusted by the amount of inflation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,957 issued to Frank discloses resilient supports for walking aids, particularly crutches, that has a monoblock with truncated pyramids 82 depending therefrom. Frank does not teach or suggest a concave-shaped foot with projections of varying diameter and length.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,882 issued to Levasseur discloses crutches, walking sticks, and the like having a tip that includes cylinders 4 of flexible material. However, Levasseur does not teach or suggest the tip having a concave bottom surface with a plurality of extensions depending therefrom in a spoke-like pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,828 issued to Gardner et al. discloses a support foot assembly for a cane or crutch that, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes an array of rubber fingers 32 that are intermittently coated with neoprene. These bristles extend far below the supporting surface and because of their length and material will easily flex, resulting in instability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,825 issued to Davis illustrates a radial crutch tip that includes a bottom boot. A variety of bottom boot patterns is disclosed with FIG. 5 showing a plurality of hollowed-out cavities. Davis does not show a plurality of fingers or protrusions extending from a boot with varying diameters and lengths for any pattern thereof.